Conference wahoo::fishing

    
    
    I've seen it done . My old fishing partner when I lived in Albany
    did just that to his boat. Made a fine fishing boat out of you're
    basic AL boat very stable . If you leave you're DTN I'll see if
    I can get him to give up his secrets .
    
    -carl-

    
    Joe
    One suggestion that may help in terms of a good fit. After you have
    your measurements from the centre line, (I believe you want to try
    to make this a single piece) Pad the piece and wrap it in carpeting
    (I suggest pink from listening to your stories over several BASS
    ales)..  after the floor is cut and covered, the padding and carpeting
    will assure what appears to be a tight fit. Also joe don't get hung
    up on HEAVY plywood. Use more bracing. If you can get 3/4 inch square
    alluminium tubing to use as bracing you can use self tapping screws
    making the job fast and easy.
    
    Remember "LIGHT IS RIGHT"
    
    If you bring the boat and materials to Worcester, I will help. NAH,
    just kiddin
    
    Good luck 
    
    garry  Four days and gone Wiersum
    
    

    re: .1         my DTN is 264-2489.   Thanx.
    
    re: .2
    
    Yeah, I agree, Gary.  I plan on using 1/2 ply with 1.5" reinforcement
    on the bottom side.  I had planned on using wood reinforcements
    seeing as I have plenty of lumber around.  I agree aluminum is lighter
    and probably just as strong, but I'm also trying to keep costs to
    a minimum.   As far as making it a single piece, that's tough to
    do seeing as the beam is 66", so it's two pieces length-wise.  Good
    idea about wrapping the PINK carpet around the edges.  The color
    should go good with my new blue Quantum jacket!
    
    Thanks for the input...keep 'em coming!
    
    -Joe-

    I just noticed in the Gander Mountain catalog (pg. 134) that Shakespear
    has a universal bow mount elec. motor bracket for $44.99.  It mounts
    on any flat 4" deep by 5.5" wide surface and will hold any elec.
    motor with .75" to 1.75" diameter shafts.  It provides a choice
    of 4 running angles and a quick release clip that automatically
    locks the motor in a stowed or running position.
    
    Has anyone seen or had any experience with this mount??  It appears
    that you can convert a transom mounted motor by simply removing
    the old mount and attach this one.
    
    -Joe-

<    I just noticed in the Gander Mountain catalog (pg. 134) that Shakespear
<    has a universal bow mount elec. motor bracket for $44.99.  It mounts
<    on any flat 4" deep by 5.5" wide surface and will hold any elec.
<    motor with .75" to 1.75" diameter shafts.  It provides a choice
<    of 4 running angles and a quick release clip that automatically
<    locks the motor in a stowed or running position.
<    
<    Has anyone seen or had any experience with this mount??  It appears
<    that you can convert a transom mounted motor by simply removing
<    the old mount and attach this one.

	I believe where the problem comes in this scenario is that the handle
now is still pointing in the direction you are traveling, hence out of reach.
The two solutions to that are 1: to turn the motor around and always run it
in reverse which has it's drawbacks, or 2: to pull the pin on the motor's head
and rotate it 180 deg.

					Al

    My Eska has a pin so it's easy to rotate it 180 degrees.  Any ideas
    or comments on this mount??  Anyone seen/used it?
    

    Well...I just finished installing my casting deck and floorboards
    in my boat.  Chris Fletcher came over Sat. to help me prime the
    wood (thanks Chris...I guess I'll let you fish with me now but then,
    Chris bought himself a boat Sat. so maybe I'll have to find another
    partner afterall!), and then I carpeted it all on Sunday.  It really 
    came out nice!  I covered them with blue astro-turf carpeting 
    (sorry, Gary...couldn't find pink!) and it really makes the boat look 
    like a REAL fishin' machine!
    
    Gary...thanks for the idea about wrapping the carpet around the
    edges.  You were right...it hides all the minor irregularities plus
    it makes it look like a real custom fit.  Also, it will help to
    deaden any vibrations between the aluminum hull and the plywood.
    
    I was so proud of the way it turned out, I had to call DonMac over
    yesterday for him to take a look.
    
    Next weekend I'll install my pole seat on the forward deck and then
    I'm READY TO GO!
    
    The way it looks with DECUS coming up, I'll be breakin in my
    "mini-Ranger" at the Pawtuckaway Tourney on May 3rd.
    
    -Joe-

Yeap, soon as I got back from bass'n yesterday Joe dragged me over to his
place to check out his handywork.  As much as I hate to admit it, he's 
built the best looking home-made deck and flooring that I've seen.  He really
did a good job.  If he keeps beaming like he was yesterday, he won't need a 
light up front anymore, he can just sit up there on his platform and glow
in the dark!   Good job, Joe.

On another customizing note.  Has anyone had any experience in reinforcing
a transom?  Ol' Stump Jumpa's transom is showing stress with the new larger
motor.  It's bent back a bit and even has a couple small cracks around the
aluminum frame that holds the wooden transom board.  Some of the stress is
coming from trailering down bumpy roads and some is coming from when I let
all them raging 9.9 horses loose! 8^)  At the moment I'm considering a 
trailering bar to hold up the lower unit, possibly reinforcing the entire
transom with wood or metal, and possibly some braces from the tops of the
gunnels to the transom.  

Comments or suggestions?			Don Mac		

Stripped Ol' Stump Jumpa last night... She's going to that big stumpfield in
the sky...  I couldn't raise enough money for a Ranger, so I'm sending her 
home...  8^)  Actually, I found out that the reason my transom was breaking
down was that the boat was mis-labeled at the factory and is supposed to have
a max hp of 7, not 15...  so, they're (Greens) going to credit me the cost of
SJ, towards a boat that can handle all those raging 9.9 horses... pretty sure
I'm going to go with the SeaNymph 14k, 14ft V hull, the car-topper size, not
the big-deep-wide job...  
    
Don Mac       Time to build a nifty deck like holeshot's....
                                                       

    Don Mac, can you tell us what thay Sea Nymph will cost?  I'm interested
    in what they are going for.  Thanks.
    
    --Chris
    

    They're having a sale on small boats right now, the 14ft V is going
    for $599, I think the 12ft V is $499, and they have smaller V's and
    Jons for even less. They also have a good deal on a Calkins "Z"
    trailer, $299, hard to beat for a fully galvenized trailer - but you do
    have to put it together yourself (took me and my cousin about 2-3
    hours and a sixpack).  Ask for Bert and tell him I sent ya.	

    Don Mac

    
    I need some help for a friend____
    
    His wonderfull wife came upon a BARGAIN.  She picked up a great
    JON boat at a yard sale.  Just what I have been looking for.
    Anyway she brings this graet john boat home, Plunks it on the lawn
    with a prooud smile. Several rows of rivits are either gone, or about
    to be gone.  She then informs her husband (The Famous, BILL_NO_FISH_BLAKE)
    That "hey you can fix anything".
    Bill and I are still scratching what hair we have left as to what
    to do now.
    
    OK you rivit masters how about some help??  PLEASE
    
    After all we did turn that scow of a piece of shit that HSJ has
    into a bigger piece of shit through this file.  We can help ole
    bill (who deserves help) with this very worth while project.
    
    Any help would really be appreciated
    
    TBDW 
    
     
    

    Gary, she didn't pick that up in Swamp Gas Corners did she???  I
    read that Harry and Charlie sold (the original) ol' Stump Jumper,
    if so, you may have a real piece of history there!!!    don mac

Gary,

Most aluminum boats use pop rivets larger than the average consumer-type
pop rivet gun can handle.  At one point before I started my customizing,
I contacted a boat dealer and they had the heavy duty rivets and gun for
repair work.  Providing the rivets that pulled out haven't damaged the 
original holes, I'd suggest you take it to a dealer and have them re-rivit 
for you.  I doubt that it would take that long or cos that much.

-HSJ- (who's_VERY_pleased_with_his_"Piece'o'S**T"_bass_rig!)

Gary,

If it is the "Hull" rivets that are bad, you don't use pop rivets as
they tend to leak.  For the hull, you use solid rivets.  They are
inserted from the outside and held tight against the hull with a
contour shaped tool.  You then flaten the inside by placing another
tool, sorta like a big nail set, against the rivet and striking it 
with a large hammer.

I agree with -HSJ-, let someone else do it.

keith (who-doesn't-normaly-agree-with-hsj-on-anything)

    Howdy Folks,
    I'am the poor sap who has to make his wifes investment pay off.
    Pop rivetts won't cut it because they come with holes, kinda like
    the extras I'm going to have if the SS Clap-Trap don't float. If
    I had the $$$.$$ to send this poor excuse out for repairs, I'd be
    floating down the river in a newer piece of polution and not worried
    about Hawaaian diseases.(read lack-a-....?). What I need is a source
    of what -.1 was talking about (solid rivetts). Any ideas?? I got
    the time,I got the tallent (I learn real fast), and I got the tools
    or at least I can make them. Stay tuned.
    
    Bill who_wishes_his_SO_would_stick_to_trashing_her_4wheeler

    re.16

    Try		Cadcraft
		Specialties Supply, LTD.
		10 Progress Ave
		Nashua, NH 03062

		603-883-3421

    they are located of exit 5, behind the Susie Chalet Motel

    keith

    Thanks .17 I'm on it.
    
    Bill

If you want you could try to substitute those aluminum rivets with the aluminum
nails which are available at any hardware store.  The nails are soft enough that
you should be able to cut them off to length and using a ball-peen hammer peen
the end over to give yourself the mechanical strength you need.  I don't know
how well this will work, but if it doesn't you aren't out much money.

					Al

    Can any of you folks who've customized your bass boats tell me what is
    under the casting platforms front and rear?
    
    The appeal of a bass boat for me is the stability, the platform --- I
    have a use for only one platform and could use the rest of the space
    --- and the livewell(s).
    
    How difficult would it be to remove the front or rear platform in your
    bass boat?
    
    Thanks.
    
    John H-C

    John,
    
    Are you looking to customize your current boat or buy a new one?  I
    know what I'd rather do :-)
    
    I have one platform (front only).  It more or less came with the  boat. 
    It's plywood under carpet.  It's braced with plywood down to the deck
    on either side.  The livewell is under one side.  The other side and
    middle are storage, open to the cockpit.
    
    -SSS-

John,

I used 1/2" plywood for most of my decks reenforced by 2"x3" to prevent 
sagging.  Since I was not able to make the forward deck with one piece of 
ply, I had to do it with two and use the 2x3's for strength.  Since my 
Princecraft 15' had a forward seat, I simply used the seat itself to bear 
the brunt of the weight.  Cutting the ply to the curve of the hull was the 
toughest part to ensure a clean and tight fit.  I used large pieces of wide 
paper to cut a template first.

It's a little difficult to explain everything here, and it's even more 
difficult to try to draw pictures on a character-based terminal.  If you'd 
like to get together sometime, give me a call.  I'm at TTB in Nashua.

I enjoyed customizing the boat and the end results were super.  As I recall, 
after I did mine, DonMac got the urge and did his as well.  I'm sure he can 
attest to how much more of a "fishin' machine" a little customizing can do 
for you.

Be patient...don't rush it and it should come out fine.

Good luck.

-HoleShot Joe-

    re: .21 & .22
    
    Well, I'm seriously considering buying a used bass boat if I find one I
    can afford and appeals at the same time. I would be using it as ---
    hope I don't get shot at for this one --- a lake dive boat, and
    occasionally for fishing.
    
    The forward platform would be used to position the surface-support
    person high enough to spot exhaust bubbles. The rear area would be used
    to store gear. The livewell would be used to keep samples. (People who
    ask me to look at their lakes and ponds often want to *see* the
    creatures I'm talking about, and capturing them is only part of the
    problem.)
    
    .21 suggested that there are boats out there with only one platform in
    front. Are these routinely smaller than others? Or is the rear area
    already set up for storage?
    
    Thanks for the input.
    
    John H-C

    As Joe mentioned, it's preatty easy to make a lot of the aluminum V
    hulls out there "bassboats" by building decks.  On the 14 footer that
    I customized, my front deck was 3/4 ply that spanned the two front
    seats.  I build a hatch for acessing the space below for semi-dry
    storage.  I didn't build a rear deck and my livewell was a cooler setup
    with circulator pump.  Joe has done a really nice job with his, if your
    interested in customizing an aluminum V, check his out.
    
    On boats that are manufactured to be bass boats - with decks front and
    rear, such as my current boats - I doubt many of the rear decks are
    removable - I know mine is not.
    
    There are a number of nice boats out there with just front decks - the
    Sea Nymph FM-161 comes to mind.  The Lund is the cadillac of this style
    boat.
    
    The rear decks of bass boats typically offer storage - but the access
    may not be sufficient to allow storage of diving gear - tanks, etc..
    
    Stop by a seanymph dealer and grab a cactalog - this will give you some
    idea of the different hull layouts that are available.
    
    -donmac